# Joint Tactical Ground Station — Program Element 1208053SF

**Program element:** 1208053SF  
**Component:** U.S. Space Force  
**Appropriation:** 3620F — RDT&E, Space Force  
**Budget Activity:** 7 — Operational System Development  
**Vintage:** President's Budget PB2027  
**Canonical URL:** https://hitchintel.com/programs/1208053SF

## Summary

U.S. Space Force funding ramps 1284% to a $92.7M request in FY2027, before stepping down 58% across the five-year plan. In the FY2027 defense authorization, the House funded it in full; the Senate funded it in full; House appropriators funded it in full. Northrup-Grumman leads the industry work.

## Funding profile

| Fiscal Year | Estimate Type | Amount ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | Actual | 6.9 |
| FY2026 | Enacted | 6.7 |
| FY2027 | Request | 92.7 |
| FY2028 | Outyear | 147.7 |
| FY2029 | Outyear | 115.6 |
| FY2030 | Outyear | 57.8 |
| FY2031 | Outyear | 38.8 |

> Estimate types are not summed — the profile mixes actuals, enacted law, the request, and outyear projections.

## Congressional marks (FY2027)

| Stage | Marked ($M) | Change ($M) |
|---|---|---|
| Request | 92.7 | — |
| House NDAA (HASC) | 92.7 | +0.0 |
| Senate NDAA (SASC) | 92.7 | +0.0 |
| House Approps (HAC-D) | 92.7 | +0.0 |

> FY2027 NDAA authorization marks, as of 2026-07-27. Not appropriations or final law.

## Projects (1)

| Project | Title | FY2025 actual | FY2026 enacted | FY2027 request | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 676760 | Joint Tactical Ground Station | 6.9 | 6.7 | 92.7 | +1284% |

> Projects are the summable leaves: the program element total is their sum, never added to it.

### Project 676760 — Joint Tactical Ground Station

Detachments 1 through 4 are operating the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) (Project 676760) WT-5 systems for Guardians across Missile Warning and Missile Tracking (MW/MT) mission area. As a result, the Service will improve readiness and operational reach of existing force structure. JTAGS is a post-production, Acquisition Category (ACAT) III program. The weapon system designator for JTAGS is WT-5. JTAGS provides missile warning message data for the Air and Missile Defense (AMD) architecture. JTAGS disseminates near real time warning, alerting, and cueing information on ballistic missile launches and events of interest throughout the theater using existing communication networks, providing critical support to Combatant Commanders in their Areas of Responsibility (AOR). Additionally, JTAGS supports the Strategic Missile Warning architecture. JTAGS consist of two sheltered operation rooms, one equipment room, and three antennas. Four outside contiguous United States (OCONUS) deployed JTAGS units, which are deployed in three theaters (United States Pacific Command (PACOM), United States Central Command (CENTCOM), United States European Command (EUCOM)), constitute Department of War's (DoW) in-theater system providing space-based missile warning. The fifth contiguous United States (CONUS) system is used as an institutional trainer but is available as a deployable asset. JTAGS is designated as the in-theater element of the United States Strategic Command's Theater Event System (TES), supporting all Theater Missile Defense pillars, affording the shortest sensor-to-shooter connectivity. The JTAGS Block II P3I program based on the 2009 JTAGS ORD is on contract as a two-phase development effort. Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) Memos 197-12, 113-13, and 042-19 and PL 111-383 support the requirements to develop and field JTAGS Block II capabilities as soon as possible. Continued JTAGS Block II CDD addresses evolving User-driven needs such as emerging threats, resiliency, modernization, and expanding interfaces that were not known at the time the JTAGS ORD was validated. Developmental efforts to achieve JTAGS Block II CDD threshold requirements continue through FY 2032.

**Named R-3 performers** (share of this project's FY2027 R-3 total, so they need not reach 100%)**:** Northrup-Grumman (6.2, 6.7%), Intrepid (0.2, 0.2%).

| Activity (R-2A) | FY2025 | FY2026 | FY2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Development and Test of Block II Capability Development Document (CDD) requirements | 6.9 | 6.7 | 6.8 |
| Resilient Ground Architecture (RGA) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 85.9 |

> R-2A activities carry the prior, current and budget year only — no five-year plan. Coverage is partial, so count them, never total them.

## Where the FY2027 request goes

| Category | Share | $M |
|---|---|---|
| Industry primes | 6.9% | 6.4 |
| Government labs & warfare centers | 3.9% | 3.6 |
| Other / unspecified | 89% | 82.7 |

**Top named industry performers:** Northrup-Grumman ($6.2M, 6.7%).

> R-3 exhibit contract funding, not USAspending obligations.

## Mission & acquisition strategy

Detachments 1 through 4 are operating the Joint Tactical Ground Station (JTAGS) (Project 676760) WT-5 systems for Guardians across Missile Warning and Missile Tracking (MW/MT) mission area. As a result, the Service will improve readiness and operational reach of existing force structure. JTAGS is a post-production, Acquisition Category (ACAT) III program. The weapon system designator for JTAGS is WT-5. JTAGS provides missile warning message data for the Air and Missile Defense (AMD) architecture.

This program element develops critical software intensive improvements, while continuing to make maximum use of Non-Developmental Items (NDI)/Commercial Off- The-Shelf (COTS) components and Government Furnished Equipment (GFE). After design and integration, the system will be subject to thorough developmental and validation/verification testing to verify performance, operational effectiveness and suitability. The JTAGS Block II Pre-planned Product Improvement (P3I) program was initiated based on a 2009 JTAGS Operational Requirements Document (ORD) and upgrades JTAGS to a Block II configuration for operation with the next generation of Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) satellites, improving warning tactical parameters and timeliness.

## Related program elements

- [0101316F — Strategic Automated Command and Control System](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0101316F) (Air Force)
- [0305219A — MQ-1 Gray Eagle UAV](https://hitchintel.com/programs/0305219A) (Army)
- [1203913SF — Nuc Detonation Det Sys (sensors)](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1203913SF) (Space Force)
- [1206442SF — Next Generation OPIR](https://hitchintel.com/programs/1206442SF) (Space Force)

## Source & machine access

- **Source:** FY2027 Department of the Air Force RDT&E Budget Justification, Exhibits R-2/R-3, PE 1208053SF (PB PB2027); FY2027 NDAA committee marks (as of 2026-07-27).
- **MCP:** `mcp.hitchintel.com` — `budget_get_program_element(pe="1208053SF")`.

*HitchAI is an independent intelligence service, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense. Budget figures are requests/estimates, not obligations.*